By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
TOPEKA, KS - Missouri Western scored five runs in the second inning, and three more in the fourth, while Sam Pederson pitched five strong innings and the Griffons run ruled Emporia State 9-1 Thursday on a soggy day at the MIAA softball tournament in Topeka.
The Griffons (36-19) had to wait through over 2.5 hours of rain delays, as the preceding game between Washburn and Fort Hays State had multiple stoppages due to rain and a 30-minute lightning delay.
Heck, Missouri Western had to wait out a brief downpour in the bottom of the first inning during their very first at-bat of the game, but the Griffons responded.
After each team went down in order in the first, Missouri Western tallied five runs on five hits and a fielding error in the bottom of the second to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Kalee Higdon had a two-run RBI single in that span.
Emporia State (33-23) got a run back in the third, thanks to a Griffon fielding error and a pair of hits, but the Hornets never got closer.
Missouri Western tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Kennedy Preston blasted a two-run RBI single to deep left field to vault the Griffons to a 9-1 lead.
Preston went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored Thursday. She had a single-shot home run in the third inning as well.
In the circle, Pederson (17-6) struck out three batters and walked none. She allowed five hits, but Emporia's only run of the game was unearned.
Missouri Western will now play on Friday at 4 p.m. against the loser of No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma (44-6) and No. 4 seed Central Missouri (33-19). The Jennies and Bronchos play in the winner's bracket on Friday at 11 a.m.
The Griffons' contest on Friday will be broadcast live on St. Joseph Post. LISTEN LIVE HERE.
The updated MIAA tournament is below.
Joe Yegge postgame
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